_PLEAD MY CAUSE, O LORD, WITH THEM THAT STRIVE WITH ME: FIGHT AGAINST THEM THAT FIGHT AGAINST ME._ The starting-point of the psalm appears in 1 Samuel 24:15: David, after sparing Saul in Engedi, says, "The Lord be judge between me and thee ... and plead my cause" (cf. Psalms 35:1). The antitypical D... [ Continue Reading ]
_TAKE HOLD OF SHIELD AND BUCKLER, AND STAND UP FOR MINE HELP._ Shield and buckler. The Hebrew means 'the small shield' х_ MAAGEEN_ (H4043)] and the 'large shield' respectively х_ TSINAAH_ (H6793)] (cf. Psalms 5:12, note; 1 Kings 10:16). God promises, in Deuteronomy 32:41, that 'if He whet His glitt... [ Continue Reading ]
_DRAW OUT ALSO THE SPEAR, AND STOP THE WAY AGAINST THEM THAT PERSECUTE ME: SAY UNTO MY SOUL, I AM THY SALVATION._ Draw out also the spear - namely, from thy armoury. AND STOP (THE WAY) - interpose thyself, between me and my persecutors; literally, 'set a barrier' against them. David, as a warrior... [ Continue Reading ]
_LET THEM BE CONFOUNDED AND PUT TO SHAME THAT SEEK AFTER MY SOUL: LET THEM BE TURNED BACK AND BROUGHT TO CONFUSION THAT DEVISE MY HURT._ Let them ... - repeated at the close Psalms 35:26.... [ Continue Reading ]
_LET THEM BE AS CHAFF BEFORE THE WIND: AND LET THE ANGEL OF THE LORD CHASE THEM._ Let them be as chaff - (Psalms 1:4.) ANGEL ... The same Divine Angel who "encampeth round about them that fear Him" (Psalms 34:7). For "chase" translate (docheh) 'pushing' them, so as to full never to rise (Psalms 3... [ Continue Reading ]
_LET THEIR WAY BE DARK AND SLIPPERY: AND LET THE ANGEL OF THE LORD PERSECUTE THEM._ Way be dark and slippery. image from one upon a dark and slippery path, which retards his flight, and makes his destruction inevitable. LET THE ANGEL ... - "the angel of the Lord," the Divine Word, who saves His p... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR WITHOUT CAUSE HAVE THEY HID FOR ME THEIR NET IN A PIT, WHICH WITHOUT CAUSE THEY HAVE DIGGED FOR MY SOUL._ They hid for me their net in a pit. Their having laid for the petitioner a pit-net, justifies the prayer, and ensures its fulfillment, that they should be caught in their own trap (Psalms... [ Continue Reading ]
_LET DESTRUCTION COME UPON HIM AT UNAWARES; AND LET HIS NET THAT HE HATH HID CATCH HIMSELF: INTO THAT VERY DESTRUCTION LET HIM FALL._ Let destruction ... unawares - even as he had tried to take by surprise and to destroy the righteous. The ungodly is put before us as an ideal person in the singular... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND MY SOUL SHALL BE JOYFUL IN THE LORD: IT SHALL REJOICE IN HIS SALVATION._ My soul shall be joyful. In anticipation of the gracious answer to his prayer, and in order to give additional weight to his entreaty, he vows a soul-felt thanksgiving to the Lord. IT SHALL REJOICE IN HIS SALVATION - wh... [ Continue Reading ]
_ALL MY BONES SHALL SAY, LORD, WHO IS LIKE UNTO THEE, WHICH DELIVEREST THE POOR FROM HIM THAT IS TOO STRONG FOR HIM, YEA, THE POOR AND THE NEEDY FROM HIM THAT SPOILETH HIM?_ All my bones ... - `my whole body,' preserved by thy goodness (cf. Psalms 34:20), as distinguished from "my soul" (Psalms 35:... [ Continue Reading ]
_FALSE WITNESSES DID RISE UP; THEY LAID TO MY CHARGE THINGS THAT I KNEW NOT._ The second strophe, in which the sufferer complains of the malice of his enemies (Psalms 35:11), in order to move the compassion of God to interpose in his behalf; in which event, as before, he vows thanksgiving, with the... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEY REWARDED ME EVIL FOR GOOD TO THE SPOILING OF MY SOUL._ They ... the spoiling of my soul - literally, '(to) the bereavement of my soul;' they bereaved me of all the consolations and necessaries whereby life is sustained; I have been left as one alone in the world, bereft of everything.... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT AS FOR ME, WHEN THEY WERE SICK, MY CLOTHING WAS SACKCLOTH: I HUMBLED MY SOUL WITH FASTING; AND MY PRAYER RETURNED INTO MINE OWN BOSOM._ When they were sick ... I humbled - `afflicted' (cf. Isaiah 58:3). As if their sickness was my own, I chastened my spirit with outward exercises of penitence.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I BEHAVED MYSELF AS THOUGH HE HAD BEEN MY FRIEND OR BROTHER: I BOWED DOWN HEAVILY, AS ONE THAT MOURNETH FOR HIS MOTHER._ I behaved myself - literally, 'I walked,' or 'went along.' AS THOUGH ... OR BROTHER. Compare David's lamentation for his enemy, Saul, when slain (2 Samuel 1:17). I BOWED DOW... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT IN MINE ADVERSITY THEY REJOICED, AND GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER: YEA, THE ABJECTS GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER AGAINST ME, AND I KNEW IT NOT; THEY DID TEAR ME, AND CEASED NOT:_ In mine adversity they rejoiced - literally, 'in my halting' (Psalms 38:17); i:e., in my bodily weakness. In their... [ Continue Reading ]
_WITH HYPOCRITICAL MOCKERS IN FEASTS, THEY GNASHED UPON ME WITH THEIR TEETH._ With hypocritical mockers in feasts - rather, 'with hypocritical (or profane) mockers for a cake' х_ MAA`OWG _ (H4580)]; such as sell their tongue to raillery for the sake of a paltry 'cake' (not a dainty cake, but the or... [ Continue Reading ]
_LORD, HOW LONG WILT THOU LOOK ON? RESCUE MY SOUL FROM THEIR DESTRUCTIONS, MY DARLING FROM THE LIONS._ Lord, how long wilt thou look on? - without interposing for me. RESCUE ... DESTRUCTIONS - or 'desolations.' His soul is in a mournful, dangerous place, surrounded by their devastations (Hengsten... [ Continue Reading ]
_I WILL GIVE THEE THANKS IN THE GREAT CONGREGATION: I WILL PRAISE THEE AMONG MUCH PEOPLE._ I will give thee thanks. This promised thanks, giving at the close of the middle strophe answers to the similar one at the close of the first strophe (Psalms 35:9). The distinction is, that the thanksgiving t... [ Continue Reading ]
_LET NOT THEM THAT ARE MINE ENEMIES WRONGFULLY REJOICE OVER ME: NEITHER LET THEM WINK WITH THE EYE THAT HATE ME WITHOUT A CAUSE._ Here begins the third strophe: prayer founded on the representations just made (Psalms 35:19). LET NOT THEM ... WRONGFULLY - or 'falsely,' with lying accusations. NEI... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR THEY SPEAK NOT PEACE: BUT THEY DEVISE DECEITFUL MATTERS AGAINST THEM THAT ARE QUIET IN THE LAND._ Speak not peace - as my peaceable attitude toward them and all men would have dictated as right. This verse, 20, and 21, give the reason for the prayer in Psalms 35:19, 'Let them not rejoice over... [ Continue Reading ]
_YEA, THEY OPENED THEIR MOUTH WIDE AGAINST ME, AND SAID, AHA, AHA, OUR EYE HATH SEEN IT._ Our eye hath seen it - namely, the destruction of the godly sufferer, which we long desired to see (Psalms 35:25).... [ Continue Reading ]
_THIS THOU HAST SEEN, O LORD: KEEP NOT SILENCE: O LORD, BE NOT FAR FROM ME._ This thou hast seen, O Lord - (Psalms 10:14; Exodus 3:7.) Yahweh's seeing it stands in beautiful contrast to their boast (Psalms 35:21), "our eye hath seen it." KEEP NOT SILENCE - refuse not to answer my prayer (Psalms 2... [ Continue Reading ]
_STIR UP THYSELF, AND AWAKE TO MY JUDGMENT, EVEN UNTO MY CAUSE, MY GOD AND MY LORD._ Awake ... - awake to vindicate my right and plead my cause (Psalms 9:4; Psalms 18:2).... [ Continue Reading ]
_JUDGE ME, O LORD MY GOD, ACCORDING TO THY RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND LET THEM NOT REJOICE OVER ME._ Let ... - (Psalms 35:19.)... [ Continue Reading ]
_LET THEM NOT SAY IN THEIR HEARTS, AH, SO WOULD WE HAVE IT: LET THEM NOT SAY, WE HAVE SWALLOWED HIM UP._ Ah! so would we have it - literally, 'Ah! our soul;' i:e., 'our wish,' on which we have set our whole soul (Proverbs 13:4), is realized.... [ Continue Reading ]
_LET THEM BE ASHAMED AND BROUGHT TO CONFUSION TOGETHER THAT REJOICE AT MINE HURT: LET THEM BE CLOTHED WITH_ _ SHAME AND DISHONOUR THAT MAGNIFY THEMSELVES AGAINST ME._ Clothed with shame - (Psalms 109:18; Psalms 109:29.)... [ Continue Reading ]
_LET THEM SHOUT FOR JOY, AND BE GLAD, THAT FAVOUR MY RIGHTEOUS CAUSE: YEA, LET THEM SAY CONTINUALLY, LET THE LORD BE MAGNIFIED, WHICH HATH PLEASURE IN THE PROSPERITY OF HIS SERVANT._ Let them shout for joy ... my righteous cause - or 'that wish my justification' (literally, 'righteousness'). 'Wish... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND MY TONGUE SHALL SPEAK OF THY RIGHTEOUSNESS AND OF THY PRAISE ALL THE DAY LONG._ Thy righteousness - which is the ground of 'my righteousness,' or justification (Psalms 35:27). The Lord's inherent and infinite righteousness is magnified by His people's justification on the ground of His righteo... [ Continue Reading ]